Forgive Me
by bohemiangirl
Summary: Izzie's ill daughter is bought into Seattle Grace by her distraught adopted mother after going into kidney failure. Will Izzie finally come face to face with her? What if she was asked to donate a kidney? Gizze. Please read and review
1. Chapter 1

Izzie yawned and stretched her arms out as she awaited her next emergency in the pit. She turned her neck to finally see the sun shining brightly through the few windows.

"Oooh coffee!" she said brightly as Derek walked past.

"Not for you," he replied with a cheeky smile. Izzie pretended to be sad. Derek laughed.

"Good morning, everyone!" George O'Malley said happily. Way too happily for a 7:00am start. Izzie glared at him. He didn't appear to notice as he walked towards her with a spring in his step.

"You weren't there when I woke up this morning," George said, leaning in for a kiss. Izzie pulled away.

"No," she said, sounding annoyed. "That's because I've been here since 3:00am."

"They paged you to the pit at 3:00am?" George asked, confused.

"No, George," Izzie replied, fighting off a yawn. "You made me come here. You and your sinuses." George moved his fingers to the top of his nose.

"What's wrong with my sinuses?" he asked.

"You're snoring, George! Seriously. It woke me up every twenty minutes. If I rolled you one more time you'd be on the floor so I came in here and now that I've performed an appendectomy and endoscopy I'm feeling a little more calm but-"

"Someone needs to lay off the red bull," George muttered, surprised by Izzie's early morning ramblings. Izzie glared at him. "Okay, okay," he said with a little laugh. "I'll get it seen to."

"Today?" Izzie asked. It was more of a warning than a question.

"Sure thing," George replied. "Can I kiss you now?" Izzie's face softened into a smile. She nodded and closed her eyes as George softly brushed his lips against hers.

"I wasn't aware that this was a supplies closet or an on call room or wherever you kids like to-" Miranda Bailey chimed in as she went over to Izzie and George.

"Sorry," they said at the same time with mischievous grins.

"I'll go take a shower," Izzie said.

"You go do that," Bailey replied. She watched, hands on hips, as Izzie left the pit.

"I'll just…" George's voice drifted off as he followed Izzie.

"Please! Somebody help me!" a woman screamed from the triage window. She sounded terrified. Everybody in the pit turned their attention to where the voice was coming from.

"What's going on?" Bailey asked, swiftly making her way to triage. She opened the doors as the distraught woman ran through carrying a fragile looking teenage girl.

"Karev!" Bailey shouted as she spotted Alex finishing up with a patient consult. He rushed over to them and carefully took the girl from her terrified mother. They found a bed and Alex gently placed the girl down. He started looking over her immediately.

"I bought her medical records," the mother said tearfully, handing a thick manila folder to Doctor Bailey.

"What made you bring her in?" Bailey asked.

"She has leukemia," the woman responded, her voice wobbling. "And she wouldn't wake up this morning and then her breathing was all shallow and she was curled up in pain. She screamed every time I tried to move her."

"Where does it hurt?" Alex asked. The girl pointed to her abdomen.

"Everywhere," she responded in a fragile voice. Alex took her blood pressure.

"It's through the roof," he told Bailey grimly.

"What would you recommend here, Doctor Karev?" Bailey asked, testing him.

"We should proceed with a round of general blood tests, urine analysis and get an ultrasound down here."

"What do you think it is?" the girl's mother asked.

"We can't be sure yet," Bailey said gently, flicking through the file. "But based on your daughter's medical history I would say that she stands a high risk for going into organ failure."

"What?!" the woman exclaimed.

"It might be her kidneys," Alex added. "The sooner we work out what it is, the sooner we can treat your daughter."

"Adopted daughter," Bailey said, reading the file as she realised exactly who the girl in front of them, Hannah, was.

"That's right," the woman said.

"You've been in here before," Bailey said. She nodded.

"That's right. About a year ago. We got bone marrow from-"

"Yes I remember," Bailey interrupted in an attempt to protect Izzie's privacy. She didn't want to be responsible for Alex Karev knowing the secret that she'd sworn not to divulge. "Doctor Karev will get these tests started," Bailey said. "I'll be back soon."

"Have you seen Izzie Stevens?" Bailey asked Christina and Meredith who were standing at the surgical board. They shook their heads.

"Is everything alright?" Meredith asked, concerned. Bailey didn't reply. She kept walking through the surgical ward.

"I wonder what that's about," Meredith wondered. "Doctor Bailey doesn't chase down other surgeons."

"Not unless they're in trouble," Christina said, not taking her eyes away from the surgical board. She wrote her name down next to a valve replacement surgery that she wanted in on, hoping that nobody would remove it.

"I wonder what she did," Meredith mused.

"Everything went well," Izzie explained to her appendectomy patient. "The incision is nice and neat," she said, admiring her own handiwork. "We need to keep you in for a little while under observation but if you keep improving you should be out of here in no time."

"Thanks so much," her patient, a nineteen year old college student replied.

"Not a problem," Izzie said with a smile. She turned around to see Miranda Bailey standing in the doorway of her patient's room with a grim look on her face.

"What's up?" Izzie asked, as they left the patient's room. Miranda took Izzie's arm and led her into the quiet room that surgeons used to talk to relatives of their patients. They sat down. "Alright, you're kinda freaking me out here," Izzie said.

"I just thought you should know… you didn't hear it from me," Bailey started to explain.

'Didn't hear what?" Izzie asked anxiously.

"It's violating doctor/patient confidentiality but I didn't want you to just see her on the ward and-"

"See who?" Izzie interrupted.

"Your daughter," Bailey said softly.

"What?" Izzie asked dumbfounded. "Why? Does she need more bone marrow?" Bailey shook her head.

"We're doing some tests now."

"What do you think it is?" Izzie asked.

"I shouldn't say," Bailey replied.

"Miranda," Izzie stood up, hands on hips.

"Possible kidney failure," Bailey almost whispered. "You didn't hear it from me." Izzie nodded, clearly shocked. "I'll keep you updated but for now I need you to just do your job and stay calm. I only told you because I didn't want you to find out at the same time as the others. Izzie nodded again, staring into space. Bailey gave her am a supportive squeeze and left her alone in the quiet room.

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	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"Hey! What's up?" George asked, joining Izzie in the cafeteria. He kissed her on the cheek and sat down at her table as she stared into space emotionless. "Earth to Izzie."

"What?" Izzie asked. "Oh hi," she said, noticing George's presence. He looked at her oddly.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. Izzie looked at George, her eyes immediately filling with tears when she saw the look of concern in his gentle eyes. She shook her head and let him wrap his arms around her as she buried her head into his chest. "Iz," George said concerned. "Tell me what's wrong."

"It's my daughter," Izzie said quietly.

"The bone marrow didn't take?" George guessed.

"Bailey thinks she might be going into organ failure."

"Oh Iz, I'm so sorry," George said, hugging her tighter, wishing that there was something more comforting that he could say. "Is she here?" he asked. Izzie nodded wiping her eyes.

"I don't know what to do," she confessed.

"I know," George said gently, kissing her on the cheek. "Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" he suggested. Izzie shook her head, gently pulling away from George's embrace.

"Why?" she asked. "It's not like I know her. She's not my daughter when you really think about it. She'll never call me 'Mom,' I don't know where she goes to school or what sports she plays or if she even plays any or even what her favourite colour is. I don't even think she knows my name. I'd feel like a fraud"

"You do know her," George insisted. "You mightn't know her favourite colour but you do know her on some level. She came from your body. She's a part of you and you wouldn't be human if you didn't love her."

"Thank you," Izzie said to George, gratefully. She took a deep breath. "But I need to stay here. I want to be close to her. She kissed George on the lips. "I'm not actually on a break. I have to get back to work."

Izzie tried to take her mind off worrying about Hannah and busied herself with other patients and training her interns for most of the day. When she finally stopped in the Residents' lounge for coffee she found Bailey looking through a thick patient file.

"Hi," Izzie said quietly. Bailey looked up at her, her eyes saying it all. "It's bad isn't it?" Izzie asked. Bailey nodded.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Bailey said with compassion which she didn't outwardly show to her residents often but as a mother herself she knew how earth shattering the news of a critically ill child could be.

"What is it?" Izzie asked.

"It's kidney failure," Bailey answered. She's been battling the leukemia for so long her little body's having trouble supporting the illness and the treatments. I'm just looking through her file to look at our treatment options and what would be best for her." Izzie took a deep shaky breath.

"She can't go on dialysis forever," Izzie said. Bailey nodded.

"I know," she answered.

"So it'll have to be a transplant," Izzie said. "That's her only chance."

"Well I have to be sure that she can survive surgery itself before I go looking for kidneys…" Bailey said, suddenly realising what Izzie was hinting at. "Stevens, that's a long way off yet…"

"But if she needs a transplant, I'll do it," Izzie said. "It's a no brainer."

"There are a million hoops to jump through before that can even happen," Bailey said. "First of all you have to be a match and-"

"So test me," Izzie said, wondering what the problem was.

"How about you let me break the news to her mother first," Bailey said. She suddenly realised what she had said. "Her other-"

"I know," Izzie said. "Keep me updated."

Izzie stood at the nurses' station on the pediatrics ward of the hospital pretending to be reading patient notes. Five metres away from her, in what they called the quiet room, Bailey was informing Hannah's adoptive mother of Hannah's condition. Izzie heard a guttural sob come from the room and, with her heart pounding; she tried to casually stroll past the room. As she walked past she saw Hannah's devastated mother sobbing at the news with Bailey trying her best to comfort her. Izzie kept walking, trying to hold herself together, and casually looking into the rooms as she passed them. She stopped suddenly when she laid eyes on the little girl that was unmistakably her daughter who everyone referred to as Hannah but who she knew as Sarah. She looked just like Izzie as a girl only with some noticeable differences. She had no hair and her little body was painfully thin from the cruel treatments that she needed to stay alive. She was hooked up to a kidney dialysis machine had fallen asleep reading a book. Izzie made sure that no body was looking and quietly went into the room. She closed the book and rested it on Hannah's bedside table. Then she stood there staring at her daughter. She bent down and gave her a kiss on her bald head and rested her hand against her hollow cheek. Izzie forced herself to leave the room before anybody found her there and before Hannah woke up.

Izzie went home without notifying anybody and found herself lying on the bathroom floor of Meredith's house again. She had no idea why she was there but she knew that she hadn't felt so low since Denny died.

"Oh crap," she heard Alex say from behind her. Hours must have passed without her noticing. "What are you doing back there?"

"Shut up," Izzie said back. Alex knew from her tone of voice not to mess with her. He threw his backpack on the floor and stepped into the bathroom.

"Look, I'm not too good at this stuff," he said uncomfortably. "Do you want me to call O'Malley?"

"She's only eleven," Izzie replied.

"Who is?" Alex asked, confused.

"Sa- Hannah," Izzie correcting herself. "She only knows herself as Hannah. She doesn't know about Sarah."

"Who?" Alex asked again, more confused.

"She's gone into kidney failure."

"Are you talking about a patient?" Alex asked, remembering when Hannah was first bought in by her distraught adoptive mother that morning. "Dude, I know it sucks but you can't get this attached to a patient."

"She's my daughter," Izzie said, still unmoving, on the bathroom floor. Alex was speechless. He certainly hadn't seen that announcement coming. "I don't know if she can survive surgery. I don't even know where her father is, so if I'm not a match then-"

"You have a daughter," Alex said out loud, trying to comprehend the announcement. Izzie nodded. Alex exhaled loudly and sat down next to Izzie, feeling genuinely sorry for her.

Ten minutes later Meredith and Cristina arrived at Meredith's house. They found Alex and Izzie on the bathroom floor.

"Hey, Bailey's been looking everywhere for you," Meredith said to Izzie, concerned.

"She told us," Christina added.

"Why is she looking for me?" Izzie asked, breaking eye contact with the hamper for the first time.

"Whatever happened to patient confidentiality?" Alex asked, cynically.

"Hannah's adoptive mother figured you could use all the support you could get," Meredith said.

"Can she have surgery?" Izzie asked.

"She didn't say," Cristina replied. "But that's the impression I got. They were both looking for you."

"I'll call Bailey," Izzie said, starting to sit up. Meredith shook her head.

"Bailey's gone home. She'll find you tomorrow. She wants you to get some rest." Izzie lay back down on the floor. Meredith and Christina went into the bathroom and lay down beside her. Meredith took gently held Izzie's hand the way she did after Denny died.

George arrived a short time later. He came bounding up the stairs calling out Izzie's name.

"I hate being a repeater!" he announced when he reached the bathroom where Alex, Izzie, Meredith and Christina were gathered on the floor. "I've been trying to get home for hours but I've been stuck doing enemas."

"It's okay, George," Meredith said. "We're looking after her." George stepped into the bathroom. He looked for a spot to sit or lie down.

"There's no room," he said, slightly frustrated.

"Take me to bed?" Izzie asked. George nodded. The others helped her up and watched on sympathetically as George and Izzie made their way to Izzie's room.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for the reviews. I really appreciate them. Please keep them coming as they are very encouraging.

CHAPTER 3

The next day, after hardly any sleep, Izzie arrived at work early and searched for Bailey. She walked through Pediatrics, stopping momentarily to glance through the small window on Hannah's door. She was awake and laughing with her parents. Izzie smiled sadly to herself.

"Stevens!" Bailey's voice snapped Izzie back into reality. Izzie turned her head to see Bailey walking towards her.

"Yes, Doctor Bailey," Izzie said, moving away.

"I had better not catch you going in there without my knowledge."

"I wasn't," Izzie said. "I was just…"

"Well don't," Bailey said. "I know she's your daughter but she is also my patient and I have to respect her wishes. If you two are to meet it is going to be on her terms do you hear me?" Izzie nodded. "Good," Bailey said. "Now, if you want to wait in the quiet room I'll get Hannah's parents. There's something that we need to discuss with you."

Izzie nervously took a seat in the quiet room. It felt weird to be sitting there, waiting to be spoken to and not being in control. The door opened and Hannah's anxious and exhausted parents entered the room alongside Bailey. They took a seat on the couch opposite Izzie.

"How is she?" Izzie asked.

"Her spirits are better today," her father said. Izzie studied him. He was a kind, gentle man. The kind of father that Hannah deserved.

"That's good to hear," Izzie said. Bailey opened Hannah's file and gave Izzie the look that she usually reserved for her patients.

"Hannah's best chance for survival is a kidney transplant," Bailey explained. "The risk of her having the surgery outweighs the risk of not having it. Now as a biological parent you're her best chance at a compatible kidney. Being a doctor you would know that the transplant is major surgery so it's something that needs to be thought through carefully before you go making any decisions."

"We had the tests to see if she could have one of our kidneys but they weren't compatible," Hannah's mother said tearfully.

"I want to see if I'm a match," Izzie said. "If I am she can have it. I'll do anything to help her."

"Thank you so much," Hannah's father said with tears in his eyes. "She's our world."

"I know," Izzie said.

"I can get you in now for tests if you're certain about this," Bailey said.

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life," Izzie replied.

Four hours later Izzie and Bailey were in a sterile room where Izzie was lying on a surgical table waiting to be injected with dye for yet another uncomfortable procedure. This had followed routine blood testing and a CT scan of her kidneys. Izzie had been mildly sedated for the next procedure, not that it seemed to have any affect.

"This is a renal arteriogram-" Bailey said.

"I know," Izzie interrupted moodily. "I'm a doctor remember?" she paused for a moment. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be sorry," Bailey replied. "You must have a million emotions running through you right now." Izzie nodded and wiped a stray tear away from her cheek. Bailey finished preparing Izzie for the procedure.

"Okay are we ready?" a male doctor asked as he entered the room. Izzie nodded. "I need you to keep really still," he said. "We're working with an artery here." Izzie nodded. As he prepared his surgical instruments Bailey noticed that Izzie's hands were trembling. Bailey gently rested her hands on either side of Izzie's face in an attempt to calm her.

"Do you want me to call George?" Bailey asked her.

"No," Izzie replied. "I'll fall to pieces."

"Then keep your eyes on me okay?" Bailey said gently. "You need to stay really still." Izzie took one of Bailey's hands in hers.

"Don't let go of me," she said. "And don't tell anyone I was scared."

"I promise," Bailey replied, giving her hand a squeeze.

The procedure went smoothly and the results were being analysed by a transplant team by the time that George arrived at Izzie's room. She was lying flat on her back asleep. George noticed Bailey sitting in a chair in the corner of her room watching over her resident.

"How is she?" he asked Bailey, concerned.

"She's exhausted but doing well," Bailey answered. "She's been poked and prodded all day."

"I wish I could have been with her," George said. "No one came to tell me."

"She wanted it that way," Bailey replied. "Don't let her push you away. She needs you, George. It's a scary procedure even for a surgeon. You be there for her." George nodded.

"Yes ma'am," he said obediently.

"Now will you keep an eye on her while I get back to my patient?" Bailey asked. "She's not allowed to move until I say so."

"Of course," George replied.

"Keep her still. She can't go home for another couple of hours yet."

After Bailey left George went over to Izzie and sat on the side of her bed. She murmured something and slowly opened her eyes.

"Sorry to wake you," George whispered.

"It's so good to see you," she replied, stretching out her arms and hugging George.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Sore," Izzie answered honestly. "But it's worth it if I can help her."

"I'm so proud of you," George said, taking Izzie's hand in his kissing her on the lips. "You're an angel." The romantic moment between Izzie and George ended abruptly when Meredith and Cristina entered her room with their lunches.

"How are you feeling, Iz?" Meredith asked. Cristina turned the TV on and opened a bag of chips.

"Want one?" she asked. Izzie laughed.

"I'm doing good, thanks," Izzie said with a smile.

"What are we watching?" Alex asked, entering the room and taking a seat.

"Way to ruin a moment, guys," George said, disgruntled, taking some of Christina's chips. Izzie smiled at herself, happy to have her friends surrounding her. She was relieved that they had accepted that she had a daughter without judgment or without asking a million questions. They were true friends.

That evening Izzie sat anxiously in bed at Meredith's house.

"Why haven't they called?" she asked George. "They said I would find out by tonight."

"It's a busy time of year," George said supportively. "Do you want dinner?"

"Something's wrong, I know it," Izzie said, biting her nails. "I'm not a match. I can't even get this right."

"Stop being so hard on yourself," George said, taking her hand away from her mouth and intertwining it with his. He lay down next to her on the bed and pulled her close to him.

"I love you so much," Izzie said.

"I love you too," George replied. They fell asleep in each other's arms.

Later that night Meredith knocked on Izzie's door, holding the house phone. When she didn't hear a reply she slowly entered the room. She smiled to herself when she saw George and Izzie cuddled into each other asleep. She creeped over to Izzie and gently tapped her shoulder.

"Iz, Bailey's on the phone." she said. Izzie seemed fully alert immediately. She took the phone from Meredith.

"Bailey?" Izzie said into the phone. George awoke. He and Meredith listened on intently.

"The pathology results from all your tests came back," Bailey said.

"And?" Izzie asked, anxiously.

"And your kidney's couldn't be in better shape," Bailey said. "If you want to go ahead with it, the surgery can be scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The sooner the better in Hannah's case."

"That's fantastic!" Izzie said ecstatically.

"You'll need to come in at seven and get all of your paperwork sorted and be admitted. I'm very happy for you, Stevens. See you tomorrow," Bailey said. Izzie hung up the phone.

"Yes!" Izzie said grinning and punching the air happily. "I'm a match!" Meredith and George cheered.

"When's the surgery?" George asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon," Izzie replied.

"Tomorrow afternoon??" George asked, surprised. "But that's like… soon."

"She'll be fine, George," Meredith said happily, giving Izzie a hug.

The next day Izzie and George arrived at Seattle Grace hospital hand in hand. They went to the surgical wing where Izzie was admitted and undertook a quick psychological exam before filling in the enormous amount of paperwork. George paced around the room nervously.

"Not helping, George," Izzie said, unamused. Bailey and Meredith entered Izzie's room.

"All ready?" Meredith asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Izzie replied.

"I've asked Doctor Grey to scrub in with me for the surgery," Bailey announced. "But if you would prefer an unknown resident to scrub in we can arrange that." Izzie shook her head.

"No it's fine. It's good," she said smiling at Meredith.

"One other thing," Bailey said, taking a deep breath. "Hannah has been told everything that is happening and she has asked to meet you before the surgery. I told her that I would ask you." Izzie froze.  
"Are you serious?" she asked.

"Stevens, would I lie about something like this?" Izzie nodded.

"Yes!" she said tearfully. "I'd love to meet her. So much." George and Meredith smiled at Izzie.

"Okay, then," Bailey said. "We'll make some arrangements. Rest up."

Please review 


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for the reviews. Much appreciated. Please continue to review as I find it really helpful. I know I've left you with a cruel cliffhanger but I promise that I'll update again soon.

**CHAPTER 4 **

"Are you ready?" Bailey asked Izzie. Meredith stood with them, holding Hannah's surgical notes. George was also there for support.

"Yes… I think so… wait…. Yes… wait…" Izzie said as she stood outside Hannah's closed door at Pediatrics. "How do I look?"

"You look great," Meredith said with an assuring smile. "You couldn't look better."

"You look perfect," George said with a smile. He gave Izzie a reassuring kiss on the cheek.

"Do you think she's only doing this because I'm donating a kidney and she feels like she should?" Izzie asked.

"She didn't offer to meet you when she took your bone marrow," Bailey said, her patience waning.

"Yeah but-"

"Stevens, we're on a schedule here," Bailey said. "Either you meet her or you don't. Either way my surgery is not being pushed back."

"Okay," Izzie said, nodding nervously. "I'm going in."

"You'll do great," George said reassuringly.

"We'll wait here," Bailey said.

Izzie nervously opened the door to Hannah's room. She smiled as she noticed Hannah's parents sitting on her bed. She wondered for a moment if they planned on staying.

"We'll leave you two alone," Hannah's dad said, answering Izzie's question. They left the room and Izzie was left standing alone with her daughter.

"Hi," she said with a smile. "Mind if I sit down? This is a big moment for me," Hannah nodded.

"Me too," she said. Izzie anxiously took a seat on Hannah's bed.

"So I-" they both started to say at the same time. They giggled.

"You go," Hannah said, laughing.

"No, it's okay," Izzie said, also laughing and glad that the ice had been broken. "What were you going to say?" Hannah smiled and seemed to prepare herself for what she was going to say.

"So I never thought that this is how I would meet you. You giving me a kidney and all."

"Tell me about it," Izzie said.

"Thank you," Hannah said. "They told me that it's a big operation."

"It's fine," Izzie said. "Who needs two kidneys?" she paused for a moment. "And I'd do anything to help you." Hannah smiled.

"I read your letter."

"You did?" Izzie's eyes filled with tears. When she was a teenager, after choosing to give her up for adoption she had written a letter to 'Sarah.' She had begged her adoptive parents to give it to her one day but didn't know if they would listen to the words of the rambling teenager before them. The letter explained that Izzie loved Sarah more than she ever thought she could possibly love anyone and how she knew that she deserved a better life than a trailer park existence could offer, with two loving parents and opportunities that Izzie could not give her. Hannah nodded.

"I always knew about you," Hannah said. "Mom and Dad told me why you did it but when I got sick they gave me the letter. I must have read it a thousand times."

"And what did you think?" Izzie asked.

"It makes me feel loved," Hannah said with a smile. Izzie looked surprised. "I know that it couldn't have been easy for you," Hannah said, looking away. "I suppose the easy thing to do would have been to keep me all for yourself. I know that it's not because you didn't want me."

"No it's the exact opposite," Izzie said, trying to keep herself from crying. "I was always worried that you would think that I didn't want you. Because I did… so much."

"I know," Hannah said. "I'm glad you did what you did. I mean, I'm sure you're great and all but I couldn't imagine living in a trailer park all my life." Izzie smiled.

"No, you wouldn't have liked it much," she replied.

"Besides, Mom and Dad tell me you're a surgeon now. I bet you couldn't have done that with a kid."

"No," Izzie confessed.

"It seems to be going really well," Meredith said, as she and George peered through the window of the room. They could see Izzie and Hannah smiling together and occasionally laughing as they discussed their favourite music, movies and books.

"I wonder what they're talking about," George said.

"I wonder why you can't leave them in peace," Bailey said from across the hall. George and Meredith guiltily moved away from the door. She looked at her watch with a sigh and slowly walked across the hall to Hannah's door which she knocked on several times before opening it.

"I'm really sorry to interrupt but we have to get you both prepped for surgery." Izzie nodded.

"One more minute?" she asked. Bailey nodded and left them alone. Izzie undid the chain around her neck. "I want you to have this," she said to Hannah. She opened the heart pendant to reveal two tiny photos inside. She pointed to one. "This is the first photograph ever taken of you. And the other one is of me." She put the necklace around Hannah's neck. As Izzie went to move away she was taken by surprise by Hannah wrapping her arms around her and holding on. Izzie gently put her arms around Hannah and pulled her into a hug. They sat there for a moment, each feeling a little more complete. Bailey knocked on the door again.

"I'm really sorry," she said. "But we have to get moving."

"I love you," Izzie whispered to Hannah who smiled back.

"Come and see me after the surgery?" Hannah asked hopefully.

"I'd love to," Izzie said with a smile. "See you soon."

"How was it?" Meredith asked as Izzie emerged from the room. "It seemed to go well." Izzie nodded and burst into tears. George hugged her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Izzie said, through tears. "Nothing's wrong. It was perfect, she was perfect." Bailey smiled, genuinely happy for her resident. She deserved happiness after all she had been through.

When she was settled back in her room Meredith gave Izzie her pre med.

"This is really happening," Izzie said, staring at the pre med. She took it. "I'm scared," she admitted.

"It's okay to be scared," Meredith said reassuringly. "Just think of what you're doing for Hannah." Izzie nodded.

"You're right," she said. Meredith turned around to George, who looked terrified, and hinted at him to say something.

"You're gonna be fine," George said, trying to sound brave. "And I'll be right here waiting. How long is the procedure?" he asked Meredith.

"Four hours," Meredith answered him.

"FOUR HOURS!?" George shouted louder than he meant to. "You're going to be great," he said with a nervous smile.

"Okay, let's do this," Bailey said from the doorway. "I'll see you in there." George leaned over to Izzie and kissed her.

"I love you," he said softly. He kissed her again.

"I love you too," Izzie replied. George kissed her on the hand before letting go. Two orderlies arrived and they, along with Meredith, led Izzie along the hospital corridor and into an elevator on their way to the operating theatre.

"How're you doing there, sport?" Derek asked George as he walked through the hospital corridor. George was sitting on a chair, looking stressed out.

"It's a lot different being on this side of the surgery," George said. "I'd much rather be operating on someone I don't know than have Izzie being operated on."

"I know," Derek said with a sigh. "It sucks not being able to do anything but Izzie's a strong girl. She's healthy and she's stubborn. She'll be fine." He slapped George on the back the way men do.

"I hope you're right," George said anxiously.

"O'Malley, when am I ever wrong?" Derek asked with a wink. "I'll see you later on. Give Izzie my best when she gets out." George nodded as Derek kept walking down the corridor.

"She's asleep," the anesthesiologist said in the operating theatre, noting that Izzie was safely under an anesthetic. "You can start any time." Meredith asked a nurse to call the surgeon in the next OR and inform him that Bailey was about to start Izzie's surgery. He would then knew to start the surgery to remove Hannah's defunct kidney and when Bailey was finished with Izzie she would scrub up again and transplant Izzie's kidney into Hannah's body.

"Grey, I'd like you to make the first incision," Bailey said. Meredith looked at Izzie's face apprehensively. "You need to treat her like any other patient." She stood beside Meredith, making sure to block Meredith's view of Izzie's face. Meredith nodded.

"Scalpel," she said. The scrub nurse handed her a scalpel and Meredith got to work.

Meredith was more involved in the procedure than she had expected to be. Bailey took over at the more challenging and delicate parts of the surgery but she made sure that Meredith was learning and was as involved as possible.

"Okay take over," Bailey said, stepping back and handing the surgical tools back to Meredith who continued with the surgery. Meredith continued the delicate process of internal suturing, with Bailey watching closely, when the alarm on one of the machines started beeping loudly.

"Blood pressure's dropping," a nurse said.

"Shit!" Meredith said, searching for what could be causing it.

"She's bleeding into the retroperitoneum!" Bailey said. "You've hit an artery. Move!" Meredith hurriedly gave the surgical tools back to Bailey who got to work.

"No, no, no," Bailey said repeatedly. "I need suction here!" Meredith could see that Izzie's retroperitoneum was filling with blood fast. A nurse tried to clear the blood so that Bailey could repair the damage. Blood was pooling fast and they didn't have much time to repair the damage before Izzie would bleed out. "Dammit, Grey," Bailey said.


	5. Chapter 5

I promised that I wouldn't leave you hanging on after last time so here's the update that I promised. I hope you enjoy. Please review.

**CHAPTER 5**

"I'm sorry…" Meredith stammered.

"Just… be quiet. I need to concentrate," Bailey said. Meredith took another step back. She felt like the walls were closing in around her. She looked over at Izzie's face again. Even though Bailey had told her not to look, to forget that she was her friend while she was doing her job, Meredith couldn't help it. She looked from Izzie's face and back to the mess that she had created and back again to Izzie's helpless face. She had to get out of there. Meredith turned and bolted out of the OR. She didn't hear Bailey shouting out after her.

George stood at a vending machine which wouldn't spit out the drink that he had requested. He hit it and it didn't work.

"Jesus Christ!" he shouted in frustration. Suddenly he saw somebody kick the side of the vending machine hard until it spat a drink out. George turned around and saw Alex Karev pick the drink up and hand it to George.

"Sometimes you gotta get a little rough with it," he said. "How's Iz?"

"Still in surgery. I haven't heard anything," George said.

"She'll be fine," Alex said, getting himself a drink. "Let me know when she's out." George nodded. "I'll see ya later," Alex said, continuing on his way. George took a deep breath and told himself to get a grip. Nobody else was worried, he told himself, why should he be? He checked his watch again for what felt like the hundredth time.

Meredith walked through the surgical ward at great speed, searching for somewhere to hide. She could see a vacant office up ahead. Meredith went into the office and slammed the door shut behind her. She was panicking and was breathing rapidly but at the same time she felt as though she couldn't get any air into her lungs. Everything around her was spinning and she felt like she was going to collapse. She knew that she was having a panic attack. She had seen patients have them all the time but felt utterly hopeless now that she was in their shoes. There was a knock at the door and Derek opened it.

"I got worried when I saw you run into Slone's office so fast," he said with a little smile. His mood shifted when he saw Meredith's face. "Meredith…" he said, concerned, closing the door behind them so that they were alone.

"Izzie…." Meredith started to say but she couldn't finish.

"What happened?" Derek asked, thinking the worst. He set his mind to calming Meredith down. "Shhh," Derek said gently, running his strong hands through her hair gently until Meredith's breathing slowed.

"I just left her in there," Meredith confessed.

"What happened?" Derek asked confused. As much as she tried to fight it, Meredith started to cry.

"I was assisting Bailey," she said wiping her eyes with her hand. "And I hit an artery and didn't even realise that I did it. I just kept going. Then all the alarms went off and there was blood everywhere and I had to get out of there."

"What happened to Izzie?" Derek asked. Meredith shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "I think I killed her, Derek." There was another knock at the door. One of Meredith's interns entered Mark's office nervously.

"Bailey wants to see you," she said. Meredith nodded. She couldn't stand to ask what had happened. Before she left, Derek leaned forward and gave her an unexpected kiss on the lips. Meredith looked up at him, confused, but followed her intern out of the door.

Meredith had reached the OR with her intern when she told Meredith to scrub in.

"You mean Izzie's still alive?" Meredith asked anxiously. The intern nodded.

"Bailey repaired the tear. She's amazing. Doctor Stevens had to have blood transfusions but she's doing really well now." Meredith sighed with relief. Her pessimistic attitude had led her to believe that she had killed her friend. Meredith scrubbed in and entered the sterile OR.

"Where have you been?" Bailey asked.

"I… um…" Meredith stammered. "I hit an artery. I screwed up."

"Damn right, you did," Bailey said as she continued to work on Izzie. "Doctor Grey, hitting an artery; it happens to the best of us. Statistically it's going to happen sometimes and this wont be the first time that you do it. But you handled that in the worst possible way. You ran out of the OR and left your patient bleeding out. You left me to handle this all on my own."

"I'm sorry," Meredith said, feeling guilty and staring at the floor.

"Now this is probably the most involved you've been with such an advanced procedure and I'll be damned if it's gonna end like this. Get over here."

"What?" Meredith asked, surprised.

"You heard me," Bailey said. "It's almost over. I want you to finish up. Meredith looked at Bailey blankly. "Go on!" Bailey said.

When the kidney had successfully been extracted from Izzie and she had been sewn back together, Meredith sighed with relief.

"Don't get too comfortable, Grey," Bailey said. "We have to transplant this into Hannah now. I'll get it started. You go talk to George and make sure that Izzie gets to recovery. Don't tell George any more than he needs to know at this stage.

Meredith found George pacing the waiting room anxiously.

"How is she?" he asked Meredith, nearly falling over a stack of magazines to get to her.  
"She's in recovery," Meredith answered. "She's holding up well. Bailey's just starting Hannah's surgery now."

"Can I see her?" George asked.

"Soon," Meredith promised. "I have to get back." Meredith felt slightly guilty for not telling George the whole truth about what had happened but she knew that it wasn't the time or the place for such a discussion.

Hannah's surgery went by without a hitch, much to the relief of an exhausted Bailey and Meredith. In the space of a few hours she had received a new kidney which was sewn into her body as if it had always been there. Her tiny body seemed to respond well to the anesthetic.

"She's one tough kid," Bailey had said on more than one occasion during the surgery.

"She gets it from Izzie," Meredith had replied.

"I have to agree with you there," Bailey had said. When the surgery was completed, Meredith kept an eye on her in recovery and when she was ready to be moved back to the ward she escorted Hannah back to her parents with the help of the orderlies.

"Oh thank God!" Hannah's mother said, upon seeing her daughter again. "That seemed like an eternity."

"Tell me about it," Meredith muttered to herself. When they reached the room, with Hannah still asleep, Meredith inserted a canula into Hannah's arm and attached it to a drip bag.

"What's that for?" Hannah's father asked.

"These are anti rejection drugs," Meredith said. "The sooner we get them in to her, the better her chance of a full recovery from the transplant is."

"I never even thought that the kidney wouldn't take," Hannah's mother said, scared.

"There's no reason to be alarmed," Meredith said. "We're giving her the best possible chance."

"Because she got it from her mother… that's gotta give her a better chance, right? Her mother asked.

"Not necessarily," Meredith explained. "It's the same chance as with every other transplant. But don't worry, the odds are on her side and these drugs are the best around."

"Hey gorgeous," George said softly as he gently stroked Izzie's hair after she had been moved to the ward. Izzie opened her eyes slowly. "How are you feeling?"

"Strange," Izzie answered.

"That's to be expected," Bailey said, writing on her patient chart. She looked at Izzie. "Welcome back. Hannah has your kidney. The surgery went well. You're both doing good"

"I feel so weak," Izzie moaned.

"You have a lot of painkillers in your system," Bailey explained. "And… you needed to have blood transfusions during the surgery."

"What?" George asked, almost yelling as he turned to Bailey.

"Your renal artery was hit, you lost some blood but we were able to repair the damage and replace the blood. You will probably feel a bit out of it for awhile."

"She could have died!" George said to Bailey.

"I'm fine," Izzie said sleepily, taking George's arm to try and calm him. "It happens. Everything's fine." She drifted back to sleep.

"You heard her, O'Malley," Bailey said. "Everything's fine. Why don't you go take a break? We'll look after her."


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for the reviews  Am glad you're enjoying. This isn't a long update as it is very late at night (well, early morning as I am in Australia) Hope you enjoy this update. Please review.

**CHAPTER SIX**

"Hey!" Meredith said to Hannah when she awoke, relieved that everything was on track. She couldn't handle another scare after what had happened to Izzie. "How are you feeling?"

"Kinda floaty…" Hannah said weakly.

"That's the medication," Meredith said. "No pain?" Hannah shook her head. "That's good," Meredith said. "Everything went really well," she explained. "You now have a new, fully functioning kidney."

"How's Izzie?" Hannah asked.

"She's doing well too. You girls are tough." Hannah smiled a little.

"Can you help me put my necklace back on?" she asked, pointing to her bedside table. Meredith picked up the heart locket on the silver chain and realised that it was Izzie's. She gently put it around Hannah's tiny neck, making sure not to move Hannah. "Is she a good doctor?" Hannah asked Meredith.

"Izzie?" Meredith nodded. "She is. She's a great doctor."

"I want to be a doctor one day," Hannah said. "When I got sick I saw what they did for me and I thought it must be a pretty good job getting to help people." Meredith nodded. "Then when I found out that Izzie was a doctor I wondered if, you know, it was genetic or something. Since I've met her it's all I can think about."

"My mother was a doctor," Meredith said. "Right here at this hospital. Who knows? Maybe it is. With Izzie's genes I know you'd make a fantastic doctor."

"Yeah…" Hannah said drowsily. "I just have to live long enough."

"You should get some rest," Meredith said, not knowing what else to say. Hannah closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. Meredith's shift was finished but she wanted to check on Izzie.

"Hey, Iz," Meredith said as she went into Izzie's room. George was asleep in a chair beside Izzie's bed.

"He's exhausted," Izzie explained.

"No wonder. I think he was more scared than you were," Meredith said with a smile. She sat on the edge of Izzie's bed. "You're looking well."

"I feel better than I did," Izzie admitted. "Still weak though."

"I'm sorry," Meredith blurted out. "It was me who hit your artery." She looked up at Izzie, ashamed.

"I cut Denny's LVAD wire. I win," Izzie said with a laugh. Meredith knew the painkillers hadn't worn off yet. "Mer, I don't care," Izzie said. "I'm alive, Hannah's alive. She's going to be fine. I'm going to be fine. I'm high as a kite," she said laughing.

"That morphine is good stuff," Meredith said, also laughing. "I was just with Hannah. She's amazing. Wise beyond her years."

"Isn't she? Izzie said with a proud smile.

"She wants to be a doctor," Meredith said. "Just like you." Izzie's eyes filled with tears.

"Really?" she asked. Meredith asked. Izzie started to cry. "I'm sorry," she said. "Can we blame this on the morphine?"

"Sure we can," Meredith replied. "It's okay," she said, taking Izzie's hand and giving her a hug.

"Can you stay for awhile?" Izzie asked. "George is asleep and it's been a big few days."

"Sure," Meredith replied. She held Izzie's hand in hers and gently stroked her hair as Izzie tried to sleep, feeling so much admiration for her friend for what she had done for Hannah.

"Good morning Izzie, Doctor Grey," Bailey said the next morning. Meredith awoke startled.

"We didn't wanna wake you," George said. "You looked so peaceful."

"I'm sorry… I uh…." Meredith stammered.

"Go freshen up and then start your rounds," Bailey said. Meredith nodded obediently and left the room. Bailey turned her attention to Izzie. "You seem to be doing well. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling good," Izzie said. She was looking much better now that the transfusions had taken effect. George too looked better. "That's good. There's someone who's been asking to see you." Izzie looked towards the door as Meredith's interns wheeled Hannah's bed through the door. "Be careful!" Bailey warned. They gently maneuvered Hannah's bed next to Izzie's so that they were lying side by side.

"Is it okay if I stay awhile?" Hannah asked shyly. Izzie nodded.

"Stay as long as you want," Izzie said.

"I'll let you two ladies have some privacy," George said. He kissed Izzie on the cheek and left the room.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Hannah asked. Izzie nodded. "He seems nice."

"He's perfect," Izzie replied. "I'd love for you to meet him properly."

"How did you guys get together?" Hannah asked innocently. Izzie thought back to how it happened. She decided to censor it for Hannah. "He's a surgeon too," she explained. "We met here and were friends first but it grew into something more." Hannah looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Are you okay, sweetie?" Izzie asked.

"Where's my father?" Hannah asked. Izzie sighed.

"I wish I knew," she answered honestly. "I can give you his name and tell you all about him if you'd like?" Hannah nodded excitedly.

"Well," Izzie started. "He was my first ever boyfriend. He was in the football team and I couldn't believe that he'd ever look at a girl like me. I didn't have money or cool clothes. I was on the debating team and studied all the time…" George stood outside the door, smiling as he watched Izzie interacting with her daughter. He saw a light in her eyes that he had never seen until Hannah had come back into her life. Izzie seemed to glow now. He couldn't imagine how hard it had been for her to give Hannah up and it was that unselfishness which had attracted him to her initially and was one of the things that he loved about her the most.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you're still enjoying this. I hope that you enjoy the next installment. Please read and review.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

"Sorry to break up the party," Bailey said as she went into Izzie's room where Izzie, Hannah and George were playing Monopoly. Izzie and Hannah were still restricted in their movements due to the surgery so George was dominating the board and fighting allegations of cheating at the same time. Bailey had been able to hear their laughter from other end of the hall. "Hannah has to go back to her room and get some rest." Hannah looked disappointed.

"You can play again tomorrow," Bailey said as two orderlies arrived to take Hannah back to her room.

"I'll save our places on the board," George said with a smile as Hannah left. Bailey followed. "She's such a great kid," he said to Izzie.

"I know," Izzie replied. "I feel more whole with her around, you know?" George nodded.

"I've noticed," he said, kissing Izzie on the lips. There was a knock at the door. "Come in," George said. Hannah's adoptive mother entered the room. She smiled a little.

"Hi!" Izzie said with a smile.

"Hello," she replied cordially. "I was wondering if I could have a talk with you."

"Sure," Izzie said. Hannah's mother looked at George.

"Alone," she said.

"Sure, I'll just go for a walk," George said. After he left, Hannah's mother made sure to close the door behind her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Izzie.

"Really good," Izzie said positively. "Hannah's doing well."

Her mother nodded. "That's one less battle to have to fight in life." She paused. "Look, Izzie. I came to talk to you about… well… I noticed that you and Hannah have been getting very close."

"She's wonderful," Izzie said.

"Yes she is," her mother said. "She's the child we always dreamed of. I just… well… I noticed that you spend more time together and that you gave her a necklace and I don't want you getting any ideas."

"What kind of ideas?" Izzie asked, confused.

"When you gave her up you were this wide eyed little girl who knew nothing about the world beyond the trailer park. Now you're this big time surgeon earning a lot of money and, well, I don't want you to start thinking that you could do a better job than me. I've bought her up to be who she is and it's harder than it looks. I-"

"Whoa! Izzie said, cutting in. "Okay, first of all. I'm not a big time surgeon. I was an intern like five minutes ago. I work eighty hour weeks. I don't have time to sleep. Second of all, I'm not filthy rich. I rent a house with friends. It will be years before I make that kind of money and I'll probably be too busy to spend it. I don't think I could do a better job than you and most of all I'm not trying to take Hannah back from you. I just want to get to know her, okay? I don't want her to love you any less and I'm not trying to replace you at all." Izzie finally took a breath and relaxed.

"That's good," Hannah's mother said. "It probably sounds ridiculous but I've been watching you with her and it's so natural. You two have this whole dynamic going and I don't want her to always compare me to you." Izzie shook her head.

"That won't happen. She thinks the world of you," she said. "If Hannah wants it I would love to be a part of her life from now on. Not as a threat to you. I'd just like to hang out."

"I think she'd like that," her mother said, stiffening.

"What is it?" Izzie asked, knowing that something was being withheld.

"It's not completely decided yet," she said, hesitating. "But a hospital in New York has made us an offer. The transplant saved Hannah's life but she's still sick. They want her to be part of a new trial. If we go there she gets free treatment as well as taking part in a study that may change her life."

"But we just…" Izzie's voice trailed off. She knew that it was a promising offer.

"She's been sick for years," Hannah's mother said. "We've had to mortgage the house. We're both working extra jobs. If she can be treated for free we can start to rebuild our lives again."

"When would you leave?" Izzie asked, staring at the wall.

"As soon as Hannah's discharged and has medical approval to travel."

"Aren't there any studies going on here?" Izzie asked, wiping a stray tear away from her cheek. "This is a teaching hospital… I mean…" her voice trailed off.

"We looked into that. There is nothing that would suit Hannah."

"And there's nothing closer?" Izzie asked. "I mean, New York! We're you so desperate to get her away from me that you had to scout out hospitals in New York?" She could feel herself getting more angry.

"There is no where else," Hannah's mother said helplessly. "This study is very specific, as are all the others around the country. This is the only one that caters to her." Izzie nodded, understanding.

"Would you be able to go?" Izzie asked. "I'm not feeling well."

"Sure," Hannah's mother said. "Would you like me to get a doctor?" Izzie shook her head.

George came back into Izzie's room holding a can of soda and a bottle of water.

"I got some water for your kidney, as per doctors' orders," he said. He had relaxed considerably since Izzie had woken up. Izzie didn't say anything. She lay motionless on her side. "Izzie?" George asked. She'd been in bright spirits when he'd left. He went around to the side of the bed that she was facing. "What's wrong?" he asked. Izzie still didn't reply. She continued to stare at the wall. He checked her temperature with his hand. She didn't have a fever. The doctor in George took over. He picked up the blood pressure cuff and checked her blood pressure. He checked her pulse and studied her chart. Nothing was out of the ordinary for somebody who had just had major surgery. "I'll be back," he said.

George walked through the halls of Seattle Grace hospital. He saw Meredith emerging from a patient's room.

"Meredith!" he called out.

"Hey, George," Meredith said with a smile. "How's Izzie?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," George said. "Have you been in to see her?" Meredith shook her head.

"I saw Hannah this morning," she said. "Bailey saw Izzie I think. Why? Is something wrong?"

"She's different," George said.

"How so?" Meredith asked.

"Well I left her and she was happy and smiling and when I came back she was all limp and not talking and just staring at the wall."  
"Transplant surgery takes a lot out of the patient," Meredith said. "It's mid afternoon. She's probably tired and in need of a rest. If she's not any better in an hour or so page me." She started to walk away.

"Mer," George said. Meredith turned around and looked at George's puppy dog eyes. She sighed. "Where's her chart?" Meredith asked. George pulled the chart out from behind his back. Meredith smiled wryly at him. She took the chart from George and began writing on it. "I want some blood taken," she said. "The instructions are here. I don't want you doing it though. You're too close. Get a nurse. Page me when the results are in and I'll order a renal ultrasound. Better?" she asked.

"Thank you," George said gratefully.

"Try not to worry," Meredith said. "I'm sure everything's fine."

"Excuse me?" George was approached by the woman whom he recognised as Hannah's adoptive mother. "I'm sorry to bother you. I just couldn't help overhearing what you were taking to that doctor about. I hope that Izzie's alright."

"Me too," George said. "Excuse me," he started to walk away.

"I think I upset her. I'm very sorry," she said.

"How?" George asked. Hannah's mother walked with him through the halls and explained what she had told Izzie. George thanked her for her honestly and she went back to Hannah's room. When she was safely out of sight, George opened the door to Izzie's room. His jaw dropped when he saw that Izzie wasn't there. Her canula which had been pumping her full of medication to prevent infection had been pulled out and was lying on the bed.

"Where the hell is Izzie Stevens?" he shouted angrily in the direction of the nurses' station. Two nurses stared back at him, bewildered.

"She should be in her room," one replied.  
"Well she's not!" George shouted back. He knew that the nurses were understaffed and worked off their feet but when his girlfriend was missing on their watch he didn't feel his usual compassion for them.

"We'll get security onto it," the other nurse said, picking the phone up and dialing.

_Hannah, _George thought to himself. He jogged down the stairs to pediatrics and stopped at Hannah's room. Hannah was sound asleep in her bed with her parents on either side of her bed. Her mother had fallen asleep and her father was reading a book. George didn't know where to look. He felt helpless.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

George ran though the hospital looking for Izzie. He didn't know where she was but he knew that after major surgery she wouldn't be able to get anywhere fast. He spotted Meredith and Christina talking as they filled in some paperwork and ran towards them.

"George, what's wrong?" Meredith asked, knowing that it was serious.

"Izzie's gone," George said, distressed. Meredith and Christina looked at each other, worried.

"But I just-" Meredith started.

"I know," George interrupted. "I got back to her room and she was gone. She's not with Hannah either."

"Shit," Meredith said, knowing that there would be hell to pay when Bailey found out but in that moment she was more concerned about the welfare of her friend.

"I'll page as many people as I can," Christina volunteered. Meredith had already started searching.

&&&

Alex Karev stood in the nursery section of the maternity ward, finding comfort from watching the newborns that always made him feel a sense of calm. On days where he felt helpless and cynical towards his work, they were a reminder that good things can happen in hospitals and there was reason for hope. He always timed it right, when he knew that most of the doctors would be in meetings or at lunch and sometimes he wore his doctor face as though he were analyzing the progress of a newborn. He didn't want anyone to know that 'evil spawn' thought that babies were the most beautiful things in the world. That's why he jumped when he heard someone behind him.

"What's your problem?" Izzie asked. "And why are you in maternity?"

"Doctor Sloane asked me to consult a patient," Alex said, almost snapping.

"A newborn needs plastic surgery?"

"It's confidential," Alex said, snapping this time. "What are you doing here anyway? You've just had a kidney taken out. Bailey's gonna kill you if she finds you walking around." Izzie shrugged, stepping towards the glass and watching the babies. Alex had a feeling that he wasn't the only one who did this for comfort. His pager went off. He groaned and rolled his eyes. When he read it he stared at Izzie.

"You're missing," he said. Izzie didn't react. Alex noticed that she was bleeding from the hand where she had ripped her canula out. He spotted a nurse wheeling an empty wheelchair down the hall and ran over to her, taking the wheelchair despite her angry protests. He then made Izzie sit in it. "You're a doctor for God's sake," Alex said to her with a hint of anger. "Why would you just take off like that?"

"Hannah's going away," Izzie said in an empty voice, staring at the floor. Alex bent down beside her.

"Where?" he asked, confused.

"She's participating in a trail for a New York hospital. They're leaving when she's well. I was told this after her mother accused me of trying to steal Hannah away from them."

"What a bitch," Alex said, not one to mince his words.

"I just needed to think," Izzie said. "I needed to think without people interrupting me every five seconds to ask me how I feel."

"It's called being a patient," Alex said. He stood up and started to push the wheelchair though the hall and into an elevator. Izzie looked like she was going to protest but she didn't.

When they arrived back on Izzie's floor, everyone noticed. The nurses sighed with relief. The frazzled interns got back to their hundred other tasks, Meredith looked like she wanted to hug Alex for finding Izzie and George ran to Izzie's side, smothering her with kisses.

"Hey, man, just lay off, alright?" Alex asked. "She just needs a little space." George looked confused but stood back as Alex wheeled her back to her room and lifted her onto the bed. George and Meredith followed.

"You realise I'm going to give you a full examination to make sure that you haven't caused yourself any further injury?" Meredith asked. Izzie nodded. "Can I have a little alone time with my patient?" Meredith asked George and Alex.  
"I need to see you about something," Alex said to George. They went outside the room.

"Where'd you find her?" George asked.

"Doesn't matter," Alex replied. "Have you thought about how you're gonna get Hannah to stay in Seattle?"

"Huh?" George asked. "How can they say no to that offer?"

"If they get a better offer perhaps?" Alex suggested. He couldn't believe that George hadn't thought of it. "If Seattle Grace were to do a study that's even more tailored to Hannah's condition than the New York study than her parents would hardly say no. It's a win win situation. Hannah gets free medical care, its good publicity for the hospital and Izzie can see her daughter."

"They did a renal study last year," George said.

"That was different," Alex insisted. It wasn't about transplantation from live donors. Look, I've given you the idea. You do your homework, get the others onto it and we'll present it BEFORE we say anything to Izzie." George was so shocked and amazed by Alex's idea and the thought that he'd put into it in such a short period of time. He didn't know what to say.

"Thank you," George said as he threw his arms around Alex and gave him a bear hug, much to Alex's dismay.

"You make it happen," Alex said. "Because if Izzie aint happy, no body is."

&&&

"Are you going to come in or just stand there hovering in the doorway?" Bailey asked from an office which she had temporarily claimed to catch up with a mountain of paperwork. George, Christina, Alex and Meredith slowly creeped into the office, looking apprehensive. "I haven't got all day." Bailey sat up and looked them up and down, saving her most fierce glare for Meredith. "You're lucky that Izzie condition didn't deteriorate."

"I know. I'm sorry," Meredith said, taking the criticism when deep down she wanted to fight it, knowing that she couldn't have prevented Izzie's disappearing act. She couldn't be everywhere at once.

"How is she?" Bailey asked.

"Physically she's still on track. She is very depressed though." Bailey looked concerned, still wondering why her office was crowded.

"Well, what do you want?" she asked, impatiently.

"You're able to contribute certain ideas to the Chief when it comes to research studies," Alex said.

"And?" Bailey asked. "What's your point?"

"We have a proposal that we'd like to submit for your consideration," Christina said, handing Bailey the formally typed document that they, with the help of their interns, had helped to prepare. Bailey skimmed the first page.

"Izzie," she said, immediately knowing why they had taken such an interest.

"In theory, yes," Christina said, "we would like Hannah to be a part of the study."

"So she can stay here," Bailey said, cynically.

"If you read it," Alex said, stepping forth, "you'll see that it's tailored for your benefit. "You performed her surgery, it's your area, you could lead this study and something tells me it's gonna be good fellowship material." Bailey raised her eyebrows. She was interested.

"I called a few of the major medical journals, the nation wide publications," George said. "I didn't reveal too much but there's defiantly some interest out there in this area. If you decide to go with it, you can call them back and line up a story before you go to the chief so that you can sell it to him. This would give you nation wide recognition."

"Okay I'll read it but I'm not promising anything," Bailey said. "Now get back to work. I have papers to sign." She tossed the proposal aside and opened a folder as the others left. As soon as they were gone, Bailey picked up the proposal and read it intently.


	9. Chapter 9

Here's another update. I hope that you're enjoying this. Please review. It encourages me to write more.

**CHAPTER NINE**

"Can't we tell her?" George asked as he joined Meredith, Christina and Alex in the cafeteria for a late lunch. "She's so down. This could lift her spirits."

"Bailey probably hasn't even read the proposal yet," Christina chimed in as she wolfed down her salad.

"Exactly," Alex said. George still didn't look convinced.

"If it doesn't go ahead and Izzie has her hopes up, you know how crushed she'll be. It'll hamper her recovery" Meredith said. "Doctor's orders. I say no."

"Ooh someone's having a power trip!" Christina teased. Meredith threw a piece of tomato at her.

"I mean it, George," Meredith said. "Not a word."

"Fine," George said with a sigh. He picked at his food. Meredith's pager started beeping.

"Oh come on!" Meredith said, with a mouth full of salad. "I just sat down."

"Sucks to be you," Alex laughed as she checked the pager.

"Crap!" Meredith said getting to her feet.

"Is it Izzie?" George asked, worried.

"No," Meredith shouted over her shoulder as she ran back into the hospital.

Meredith took the stairs, knowing that it would be quicker than taking the elevator when it was busy. When she reached pediatrics she sprinted down the hall to Hannah's room where the three terrified interns were frozen.

"What happened?" Meredith asked, wondering why they were just standing there. They stood aside and Meredith saw that Hannah was leaning forward, wheezing, being assisted by a nurse.

"She's been like this for about ten minutes," the nurse said. "Her chart said that she was having minor respiratory problems this morning."

"That's right," Meredith replied. "That's why I wanted her monitored." She put her stethoscope on. "Hannah, sweetie, can you take some deep breaths for me?" Hannah did so. She was surprisingly calm. "I need a chest x ray right now," Meredith said to her interns.

"She has a fever," the nurse said. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Meredith locked eyes with the nurse and nodded. She took an oxygen mask from a machine and placed it gently over Hannah's face.

"This will help you to breathe," she said comfortingly to Hannah who made sure to take deep breaths. She was used to following doctor's orders.

"X ray can get us in now," one of Meredith's interns said.

"Good, let's go. Find her parents."

&&&

"Doctor Bailey!" Richard said as his favourite resident walked through the door of his office unannounced. "What can I do for you?"

"You wanna keep me here for my fellowship?" she asked.

"You know the answer to that," Richard replied. Bailey tossed the report that her residents had prepared, with some minor alterations, on Richard's desk. He picked it up.

"What's this?"

"A proposal for the next research grant."

"It's about time you submitted something," Richard said, skimming it. "I'll have a more in depth read of it and let you know."

"Thank you," Bailey said. She turned to leave but stopped for a moment. "Oh and Chief?"

"Yes, Doctor Bailey."

"I've just been on the phone with the North American College of Surgeons. They're willing to fund half the grant if we give exclusive rights to the story to them." Richard raised his eyebrows. Publicity for the hospital was the way to his heart, Bailey knew.

&&&

"What is it?" Bailey asked, responding to Meredith's page. Meredith unhappily handed Hannah's scans to Bailey who held them up to the light and studied them. "Damn," she said. "I was hoping that we could avoid this altogether."

"Me too," Meredith said.

"Transfer her to ICU, now," Bailey said.

"The paperwork's in order. We're just waiting on the call." Bailey went to the window to Hannah's room and peered in. The oxygen mask had settled Hannah a little but there was only so much that it could do. "You need the experience, Grey," Bailey said, handing Meredith the scans. "Page me if you need me." Meredith took a deep breath and entered Hannah's room.

"What's wrong?" Hannah's mother asked nervously.

"Is something wrong with the kidney?" her father asked.

"No," Meredith said. "The kidney is fine but we need to transfer Hannah to the intensive care unit to be monitored more closely. She has what we call Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia."

"Pneumonia?" Hannah's mother asked, confused.

"Yes," Meredith replied. "Hannah's chemotherapy and radiation treatment for her leukemia have weakened her immune system significantly. The anti rejection medication that we are giving her also has this effect and Hannah's immune system isn't strong enough to fight infection. The pneumocystis carinii germ has no effect on a healthy person like you or me but it can cause pneumonia in someone with a weakened immune system like Hannah."

"So what do you do?" Hannah's father asked, trying to suppress his emotion. "She needs the anti rejection medication."

"We picked it up reasonably early so we're going to treat it with strong antibiotics. Now we know that Hannah's immune system is weaker than first thought, we're going to put her into an isolation room so that she doesn't get sicker. Anybody who enters will have to wear a mask and gown and she can't be touched. I know it's a lot to deal with but it is necessary for her recovery." Hannah's parents nodded numbly as the orderlies arrived to transfer Hannah to ICU.

&&&

Meredith knocked on the door to Izzie's room.

"How's Hannah?" Izzie asked. Meredith looked at her, puzzled, wondering how she knew.

"Bailey told us," George said.

"Ah," Meredith replied. "We've taken all the precautions to prevent further infection. We caught it early so with the antibiotics I'm sure she'll be okay."

"Bailey said they've moved her into isolation," Izzie said, her eyes filling with tears. Meredith nodded.

"We have to Iz," Meredith said, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "We can't risk further infection."

"I know," Izzie said, crying now. "I just keep imagining her all alone in this room." George pulled Izzie into a hug. Izzie buried her head into his shoulder. George looked over at Meredith as he comforted Izzie and gave her a look which asked whether they should tell Izzie about their plan. Meredith shook her head sternly.

"I'll be back to check on you before I go home, Iz," Meredith said, rubbing Izzie's back with her hand soothingly.

&&&

"Doctor Bailey," Richard said as he joined her at the surgical board.

"Yes, Chief," Bailey said.

"I'm very impressed with your proposal."

"That's good to hear," Bailey said, still watching the board and suppressing your joy.

"I notice that you already have a prime candidate for the study," Richard said. "Izzie Stevens' daughter." Bailey nodded. "Are you going soft, Doctor Bailey?" Richard asked, tongue in cheek.

"I am not soft, Chief. I don't do soft," Bailey replied. Richard smiled.

"I have to take it to the board but you have my full support, I just wanted you to know that."


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you for the reviews. Please continue to let me know what you think._

**CHAPTER TEN**

"Good morning, Doctor Bailey," Meredith said with a smile the next morning as she and Cristina approached their Chief Resident. Meredith elbowed Cristina who handed Bailey a mocha latte and attempted to give her most genuine smile. Bailey looked at her residents suspiciously. "We were just wondering how the research proposal was going."

"While I appreciate the bribe," Bailey started "You two really need to keep your nose out of my business." Meredith and Cristina hurriedly left Bailey in peace as she took a sip of her coffee. George and Alex approached Bailey.

"No!" she said, reading their minds. They kept walking past Bailey, pretending that they weren't going to ask her the obvious question.

"Good news, Doctor Bailey," Richard Webber said, approaching Bailey at the nurses' station. "The board has unanimously approved your request. Patricia's going to start looking for suitable candidates today. You may begin your fellowship." Bailey took a deep breath, overcome with emotion but trying not to show it.

"Thanks, Chief," she said with a little smile. He patted her on the back as he left.

"You did good, Doctor Bailey."

"Yes I did," she replied to herself, proud.

&&&

"Hey Iz," Meredith said as she went into Izzie's room and picked up the chart. She had been stable through the night. "We might be able to let you go home tomorrow." Izzie didn't say anything. She stared into space. "Iz?"

"That's nice," Izzie said in a distant voice. Meredith sat on the edge of her bed.

"You're worried about Hannah," Meredith said knowingly. Izzie nodded. "I doubt they'll let you go in there just yet but I'll see what I can organise, okay?" Izzie nodded again, vaguely.

"I feel so helpless," Izzie confessed.

"I know," Meredith said, giving her hand a squeeze. "Me too." She wanted Hannah out of isolation as much as Izzie did but her condition had improved only slightly over night. "I'll make sure you stay posted." Meredith left Izzie's room and was on her way to see her next patient when she found George and Bailey talking in the hallway.

"How's Izzie doing?" George asked Meredith. He had a big smile on his face.

"She's feeling down," Meredith said, sadly. "Physically she's doing well."

"We got the research grant!" George said excitedly. "Hannah's staying!"

"Providing her parents consent," Bailey said cautiously.

"Why wouldn't they?" George asked. "I'm gonna go see Izzie. This'll cheer her up."

"Not a word," Bailey warned. "How 'bout we make sure she's in the study before we go throwing parties?"

"Yes ma'am," George said, disapointed.

&&&

Hannah's parents stood nervously outside the door of their daughter's isolation room. Their hearts broke as they were forced to watch her so sick and yet they were not able to reach out and console her.

"Good morning," Bailey said gently. She felt badly for them. They were good people and were in a situation that Bailey prayed she would never find herself in.

"How is she? She looks so frail," Hannah's mother said tearfully.

"She is," Bailey said sympathetically. "Her tiny body is fighting really hard against the infection. There's been a slight improvement overnight but she's in for a long fight."

"We can't go in there for even a minute?" Hannah's father asked.

"I'm sorry," Bailey said, shaking her head. "Not until her immune system improves more" Hannah's parents nodded, understanding. "I'll be back to check on Hannah later but I thought I'd give you these." Bailey handed Hannah's parents the documents that she had stayed up writing the night before getting approval for her fellowship study. "I'm about to begin study on renal transplantations in children from live adult donors. Hannah is a prime candidate. Anyway, I'll leave these with you to read but I strongly urge that you consider it for Hannah." Hannah's mother flicked through the document suspiciously.

"Is Isobel Stevens behind this?" she asked.

"No, Ma'am," Bailey answered. "Doctor Stevens isn't even aware of this."

"Okay," Hannah's mother replied. "I'll consider it."

&&&

A couple of hours later, Meredith found herself free of patients prior to her afternoon surgery. She'd seen Hannah's parents sitting with Bailey in the cafeteria in deep discussion.

"Psssst!" she said to Alex as she spotted him in the hallway. Alex looked at her oddly.

"What?" he asked.

"Go and stand guard at Hannah's room," Meredith said.

"Why?" he asked confused.

"Just do it!" Meredith insisted. Alex shook his head at her.

"Women," he muttered to himself, as he went to pediatrics.

"Hey!" Meredith said with a little smile as she went into Izzie's room where Izzie and George were cuddled up lovingly on Izzie's bed watching TV.

"Where are we going?" Izzie asked, noticing that Meredith had a wheelchair with her.

"Is something wrong?" George asked, worried.

"Oh no, not at all. This is a good surprise," Meredith said. She pushed the wheelchair over to Izzie's bed and George helped Izzie into it. Meredith led the way and soon they were in the oncology ward in the isolation section. Izzie looked up at Meredith, unsure.

"It's okay," Meredith said reassuringly. "She knows you're coming." They pulled up outside one of the rooms and George moved Izzie up to the window where she could see Hannah there. Alex joined them and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. Hannah picked up and turned towards the window giving Izzie a beaming smile. Alex handed the cell phone to Izzie.

"Hi Izzie!" Hannah said. "You look pretty today."

"So do you, honey," Izzie replied happily.

"Thank you" George mouthed to Meredith, relived to see Izzie happily interacting with Hannah. Meredith noticed that Hannah too looked in better spirits which sometimes made all the difference when battling a serious illness. She left Izzie and George with Hannah and left with Alex, smiling to herself.

"Nice work, doctor Grey," Alex said, impressed.

&&&

Twenty minutes later Hannah's parents arrived back at their daughter's room, surprised to hear Izzie laughing before they arrived.

"Hello," Hannah's mother said uncomfortably to Izzie and George.

"Oh hi," Izzie said with a big smile. Hannah's mother was worried that this socialising would wear Hannah out and was surprised to see Hannah looking better, smiling with more color in her face as she conversed with Izzie over the phone. '"Oh, I'll go," Izzie said, suddenly feeling unwanted.

"No," Hannah's mother said with a little smile. "You stay. She likes having you here. It's good for her."


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

"What does this mean?" Cristina asked as she, Meredith, Alex and George stared through the glass doors of the Chief's office where the Chief was conversing with Caroline and Dustin, Hannah's adoptive parents.

"This must mean that she's enrolling Hannah in the program," George said with a big grin. "Hannah's staying right here."

"She's probably weighing up the benefits of this study against the benefits of the New York study," Meredith said cautiously.

"This study kicks New York's ass," Alex said.

"Tell me about it," Cristina agreed. "What's to question?"

"I think the question is why you are all standing around spying on the Chief's personal meeting while there is a hospital full of sick people waiting for you?!" Bailey snapped, catching them spying.

"Yes ma'am, sorry," they all muttered, getting back to work. Bailey waited until they were gone and stood where they had been standing; trying to work out what the conversation was about.

&&&

George went into Izzie's room.

"Hey, I heard that there's a problem," George said confused. "What's the problem?"

"Our medical team just tested Izzie and it seems that she's ready to leave hospital today as long as she takes it easy," Meredith said.

"That's great!" George said, beaming. "We can sleep in our own bed again!" Izzie looked disheartened,

"She doesn't wanna go," Meredith told George. "If it was you or me we wouldn't be able to wait to get out of here but not Izzie. Please persuade her." Meredith left the room.

"What's wrong?" George asked.

"Hannah has an infection," Izzie said. George sat on the edge of Izzie's bed. He gently stroked her hair and rested his hand gently on the side of her face.

"They're treating that," he said softly.

"I just like being close to her, especially while she's so sick," Izzie said. "I don't wanna too far away from her."

"I can bring you here whenever you want," George offered.

"It's not enough," Izzie said. "I need to be just a few minutes from her when she's this sick. One more night, please?"

&&&

"What are you so happy about?" Cristina asked Bailey at the nurses' station. Cristina couldn't remember if she had ever seen Bailey with a spring in her step, singing softy to herself. Bailey held up signed consent forms for Cristina to see. Cristina took them and read them.

"You mean that you got?-"

"I did," Bailey said proudly. "Hannah's mother was just asking the Chief about hospital conditions. She's signed Hannah up for the study. They're staying right here and my history making fellowship will begin as soon as Hannah is out of isolation."

"That's great, Doctor Bailey," Meredith said with a smile as she and Alex approached Bailey and Cristina.

"Congratulations," Alex added.

"I should be thanking you, Karev," Bailey said. "I hear that this was your idea." Alex shrugged modestly. "Whatever, you know? You guys did all the work."

"Oh my God, does Alex have a heart?" Cristina asked with mock surprise.

"I think he does," Meredith teased. Alex looked embarrassed.

"Yeah well we all don't wanna put up with Izzie whinging so I just did something about it," he said defensively. The rest of the interns laughed, knowing that his was a defence mechanism to hide that he really cared.

"Now while it's quiet you three should take a lunch break," Bailey said. "You've earned it."

"Sounds great to me. I've been on my feet all day," Meredith replied. As soon as she said this, her pager went off. "Dammit, Izzie!" she said as she checked it. "I guess I can tell her the good news now."

"I wanna tell her!" Cristina insisted.

"She's my patient!" Meredith retorted as she raced Cristina into the elevator. Alex laughed to himself and went to buy lunch.

&&&

"Hi, Iz," Meredith said as they found her room.

"Hannah's staying!" Cristina said with a big grin. She loved giving good news and taking credit for it. Meredith hit her on the arm. "What?" Cristina asked.

"Out!" Meredith ordered. Cristina reluctantly left the room.

"What does she mean Hannah's staying?" Izzie asked.

"Hannah is a prime candidate for Bailey's fellowship study that she submitted. The hospital made her parents the offer of having Hannah participle and they signed off on it."

"But… New York…" Izzie stammered.

"Our program's better," Meredith said, happy to have some good news for a change. "And it could save Hannah's life."

"She's staying…" Izzie said to herself, waiting for it to sink in.

"She's staying," George assured her, kissing her on the lips.

"So… you can go home!" Meredith said. Izzie shook her head. "Izzie!" Meredith protested. "Come on. If you don't get out the bed manager's gonna kill me!"

"I'll sleep in the on call room then," Izzie offered. "I'm not leaving the hospital while she's this sick."

"You can't sleep in the on call room!" George protested. "You just gave away a kidney!" he turned to Meredith. "She just gave away a kidney!"

"I know," Meredith replied, unamused. She looked through Izzie's notes again and looked back at Izzie. She then put her hand on Izzie's forehead. "You seemed to have spiked a temperature," she said, obviously lying. "We should make sure that it's not another infection. I wanna keep you in another night. I'm sorry to do this to you. I know how much you wanted to go home but it's better to be safe than sorry." Izzie and George beamed at Meredith. "Don't say that I don't do anything for you," she said wryly and left the room.

&&&

Izzie and George were reveling in their good news when there was a knock at the door. They looked up and saw Caroline, Hannah's adoptive mother, there.

"Can I come in?" she asked. Izzie nodded.

"Do you want me to stay?" George asked Izzie. Izzie shook her head.

"No it's fine." She kissed George on the lips and he left them alone.

"I guess you've heard the news?" Hannah's mother asked. Izzie nodded happily.

"You're really good with her. You two have a connection. You know, she made an improvement after she saw you today. It was only slight but it was the biggest improvement yet." Izzie smiled a little.

"That's good."

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Hannah's mother said. "I get so protective of her and I saw you as a threat when I shouldn't have."

"I'm glad that she has you as a mother. You wouldn't be a good mom if you didn't want what was best for your little girl. I also just want what what's best for her," Izzie said honesty.

"I know," she replied. "And I think that she should get to know you. Having you in her life would be good for her. Now that she's in the study she can see you at the hospital whenever she wants, but when she improves… if she improves… maybe you could take her one day a week and spend time with her. If you want to that is."

"I'd love that," Izzie said with tears welling in her eyes. Happy tears this time.


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry about the lack of recent updates. I've been very sick. Thank you to all those who review. A special mention to gizziefan118 who has been fantastic. Hope you enjoy. Please read and review.

**CHAPTER 12**

Caroline, Hannah's adoptive mother, and Izzie walked side by side to visit Hannah at the isolation room. Izzie knocked on the glass and waved at her daughter who happily waved back.

"She has your eyes," Caroline said. Izzie smiled.

"Yeah she does."

"And your smile. She used to have beautiful blonde hair just like yours as well."

"She has my nose too. I'm glad she didn't get my teeth though," Izzie said with a chuckle. "I had to wear braces at college."

"Do you ever regret giving her up?" Izzie shook her head.

"Not for a moment," Izzie answered honestly. "Look how happy she's made you." Hannah picked up the phone from her bedside table and dialed a number. Caroline's number.

"Hello sweetheart,"

"Hi Mom," Hannah replied. "I wanna talk to Izzie."

"Sure thing, pumpkin." Caroline handed the phone to Izzie who was thrilled that Hannah had asked for her.

"How are you feeling?" Izzie asked.

"Pretty rotten," Hannah said honestly.

"That's just the antibiotics," Izzie said. "You're improving nicely." Hannah smiled.

"I'm tough."

"Yes you are," Izzie replied. "The toughest girl I know."

"I get to stay," Hannah said with a smile.

"I know," Izzie beamed back.

"I'm glad," Hannah said. "I've been to New York a few times with Mom and Dad. I don't like it much. The weather sucks and there's too many people."

"I've never been to New York," Izzie confessed, understanding how different her childhood was from Hannah's.

"It's overrated," Hannah said with the knowledge of a seasoned traveler. "Seattle's heaps better."

"Lucky we're here then," Izzie said with a smile. Izzie felt someone watching her. She turned her head to see Alex standing at the end of the hall, holding a patient chart and attempting to look busy. Izzie smiled at him. Alex pretended that he didn't see her.

&&&

"Cristina," George muttered under his breath as she exited a patient room, followed by her terrified interns.

"What is it? I'm busy," Cristina said dismissively, giving off an air of importance.

"I need your honest opinion on something," George said. Christina turned her attention to George.

"Well?" she asked.

"In private." Cristina rolled her eyes.

"I'm meant to include them in stuff," she said, gesturing towards her interns. George glared at Cristina. "Fine," Cristina conceded. "Go to the pit," she told her interns sternly. They scattered. George pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a sparkling white gold and diamond ring.

"Oh man I thought it was surgery related," Cristina said. "I don't do too well with this stuff."

"Come on," George said. "I need a girl's opinion."

"Ask Izzie," Cristina said.

"That's the plan," George said with a nervous smile.

"Well good for you, George," Cristina said genuinely.

"Well… what do you think of the ring?" George asked impatiently. Cristina shrugged.

"It's a ring. I don't do jewelry. It's nice I guess."

"You guess? Fine. I'll ask Meredith," George said, disgruntled. "Not a word of this to anyone," he warned. He started to walk away.

"Oh I wouldn't ask Meredith," Cristina said. "She has intimacy issues. Bringing up weddings will set her back ten steps."

"Why can't I just have normal friends like everybody else?" George muttered to himself as he walked down the corridor.

&&&

"Which organ produces insulin?" Izzie asked Hannah over the phone.

"That's easy," Hannah replied. "The pancreas."

"Okay then, smarty pants, we'll take it up a notch," Izzie said, flicking through Hannah's biology textbook. She was helping Hannah study for her biology exam. Hannah's adoptive parents watched on proudly. Hannah had been neglecting her school work as she got sicker. They had feared that she was giving up the fight. Meeting Izzie had seemed to give her a newfound enthusiasm for her schoolwork, particularly math and science, the subjects that she had always excelled at. By meeting Izzie, it seemed like Hannah could see a future for herself beyond endless round of chemotherapy and hospital stays.

&&&

Bailey was filling out paperwork when she felt eyes on her. She looked up to see George standing across the corridor watching her nervously.

"What is it, O'Malley?" she asked, annoyed. George went over to her and pulled the tiny box out of his pocket. He opened it to reveal the same ring that he had shown Cristina.

"No thanks," Bailey said. "I can barely handle one husband." She continued with her paperwork and George left, annoyed.

&&&

George went into the hallway where Izzie was quizzing Hannah.

"I need to speak to your daughter," George announced.

"Can it wait?" Izzie asked. "She's studying."

'"It's very important," George said. "My state of mind depends on this."

"Okay," Izzie said, confused and concerned. "Do you need me to stay?"

"Noooo," George said defiantly.

"Okay then…." Izzie said, confused by George's bizarre behaviour. "I'll be back later, Hannah." She blew Hannah a kiss through the glass and Hannah reciprocated. Izzie stood up and gave George a kiss on the lips before handing him the phone and going back to her room.

"Hannah, I need your opinion on something," George said. Hannah smiled, wondering what it could be. "You're the only girl I know who isn't emotionally stunted or who doesn't have intimacy issues or who isn't too busy to just give me a damn opinion."

"What is it?" Hannah asked, trying to be polite and not laugh at how exasperated George seemed. George looked around to make sure that no body was eavesdropping.

"I'm going to propose to Izzie." Hannah gasped happily. George smiled. "Izzie's the best thing that ever happened to me. I want this moment to be perfect. She deserves only the best."

"I agree," Hannah said approvingly. George took the ring out of his pocket and held it up to show Hannah.

"What do you think?" Hannah grinned.

'It's beautiful," she said, taken aback. "It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. Izzie will love it." George sighed, relieved.

"I kept going back to that one," he confessed.

"It's perfect," Hannah said.

"Just like Izzie," George said with a smile. He couldn't wait to pop the question.

"Um… I don't wanna rain on your parade or anything but aren't you already married to that Callie girl?" Hannah asked, nervously.

"How did you hear about that?" George asked.

"Nurses gossip a lot," Hannah confessed.

"It was annulled. That wedding was a spur of the moment mistake. Something that I intend never to repeat." Hannah smiled to herself. She knew that George was a good guy and wouldn't hurt Izzie.

&&&

"Hey," Izzie said as she passed Alex in the hall.

"Oh hey," Alex said, impressed to see Izzie up and about. "You're looking well."

"Thanks," Izzie said. "I know you'll probably deny it but I know that you were behind getting Hannah to stay here. I really appreciate it."

"Ah it was nothing," Alex said dismissively. "Really, the others did all the work." Izzie saw through his façade.

"Thank you," she whispered, kissing Alex on the cheek and going back to her room.


	13. Chapter 13

I've just enabled anonymous reviews so that anybody can review (hint hint)

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

George and Izzie ate together in Izzie's hospital room that night. Izzie looked considerably happier.

"What?" she giggled, noticing the way that George was looking at her.

"You're glowing," he said in awe. "You're sitting here in a hospital gown with no make up after just having a kidney taken out and you've never looked more beautiful." Izzie, the romantic, was visibly touched by what George had said. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I love you," she whispered. She kissed him again.

"When you get discharged tomorrow, I wanna take you somewhere," George said.

"Where?" Izzie replied.

"You'll have to wait and see," George said mischievously. "It's a surprise." Izzie's face lit up even more.

"I love surprises," she said with a smile.

"I know," George replied. "And it's a good one," he teased playfully. He looked at his watch. "Well, visiting hours are over. You've gotta rest. I'll come and pick you up in the morning."

"Okay," Izzie said. She laid back in her bed. George pulled the blanket up to keep her warm and they shared another lingering kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow," George said. Izzie smiled to herself as she left. For the fist time in a long time she felt as though the pieces of her life were starting to fall into place.

&&&

George arrived home. The house was quiet. He guessed that Meredith and Alex were asleep. George pulled the ring, enclosed in the tiny satin box, out of his pocket for the hundredth time that day and looked at it. He'd made a good choice, he told himself. The ring was white gold with a solitaire diamond in the centre, surrounded by a smaller diamond on either side. It sparkled as the light hit it. George tried to invision himself proposing to the love of his life. He knelt down on one knee and held the ring up as an offering. _Wait… which knee is it supposed to b_e? George thought to himself. He stood back up and knelt on the other knee. _That doesn't feel right. Which knee is it? Oh crap! Maybe I should Google it… _

"I think it's the left knee," George heard Meredith say. He looked up and saw her standing on the stairs. "I saw it in a movie once."

"Oh," George said, embarrassed, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that you're gonna make Izzie the happiest girl alive," Meredith said with a big smile, descending the stairs.

"I hope so," George said. "I'm so nervous."

"Don't be. She's crazy about you," Meredith said. She smiled at George reassuringly. "It's gonna be fine, George. No, better than fine. It's gonna be amazing. Can I see the ring?" George looked nervous.

"Cristina said that you' have intimacy issues. This could cripple you emotionally."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she said, taking the box from George. "Oh my gosh," Meredith said when she opened the box and saw the ring.

"What?" George asked nervously. "You don't like it?"

"No," Meredith said, shaking her head. "I love it. It's Izzie. It's perfect. It couldn't be any more perfect." George breathed a sigh of relief. "You and Izzie deserve each other."

"I just wanna make her as happy as she makes me," George said honestly, blushing a little.

"You do," Meredith said knowingly. She yawned. "I'm gonna go to sleep. You should too."

"Yeah," George said, still staring at the ring.

&&&

The next morning George went into the kitchen where Meredith and Alex were eating bowls of cereal at the kitchen counter.

"Morning, George," Meredith said with a slight smile. "All ready for the big day?"

"Yeah, congratulations, man," Alex said turning around and facing George. "Whoa, dude, you look like crap."

"I thought that I wouldn't be this nervous," George said, his voice quivering. "I couldn't sleep at all last night. I wanna marry her. I just kept thinking about how I would mess up the proposal."

"All you gotta do is ask the question," Alex said. "How hard can it be? Although this is you we're talking about."

"Alex, we're being supportive," Meredith warned him.

"Oh so I shouldn't bring 007 back up?" Alex teased. Meredith and George both glared at him. "I'm just kidding. Relax, man, you'll be fine! She'll be over the moon." George started preparing his cereal.

"I keep thinking what if… you know… I lose the ring…. Or I drop it… or she doesn't like it…. Or-" Suddenly George dropped the full bottle of milk that he was pouring over his cereal. Milk spilt all over the kitchen floor. "Crap!" George yelled, accidentally knocking his bowl of cereal off the counter, smashing the bowl and sending cereal pieces throughout the kitchen. Alex looked as though he was going to laugh. Meredith glared at him, warning him to behave with her eyes. George looked distressed.

"Don't worry about it, George," Meredith said. "We'll clean it up. Why don't you go have a shower and try to calm down, okay?" George nodded, looking stressed out. "You're okay," Meredith said encouragingly as George left. "You're so cleaning that up," she said to Alex, when George was out of ear shot. "George and Izzie getting married is proof that doctors can have lives. It gives us hope. Nothing's gonna mess that up!"

&&&

At the hospital, Hannah heard her phone ring. She picked it up off her bedside table.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey there." Hannah looked outside the window of her isolation room and saw Izzie there, waving. She gave her a big smile and waved back. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired but good," Hannah answered. "What about you?"

"I'm feeling great," Izzie said. "They're gonna discharge me." Hannah looked worried. "Don't worry, sweetie, I'm not going anywhere. In fact, because I work here I'll be around so much you'll be begging me to go away."

"Never," Hannah said with a little giggle.

"Doctor Bailey tells me that you're getting stronger. You should be out of isolation soon."

"Yeah…" Hannah said, despondently.

"What's wrong?" Izzie asked.

"As soon as I get better from this infection, they have to start the chemo again. I hate it so much."

"I know, baby," Izzie said, wishing that there was some other option. "But with Doctor Bailey's trial they're using it in different dosages. You might respond better to it that way."

"Maybe..." Hannah said, her voice drifting off. "I wish I could just be normal."

"Pffft. Normal's so overrated," Izzie said. "It's boring as all hell. Trust me, you don't wanna go there." Hannah smiled a little. "Are you gonna be okay, baby?" Izzie asked, winking at her daughter.

"Yeah," Hannah said, winking back. "I'm gonna be okay."


	14. Chapter 14

Here's an update for you finally. Thank you to those who have been reviewing. You've been amazing. I'm sad to say that this is the third last chapter of this story. There will only be 2 more chapters to come so make sure you show me some love in your reviews!

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN **

"Good news, Doctor Stevens," Meredith said with a smile as she stood by Izzie's bed. "You have the all clear to leave hospital." Izzie smiled happily. "As you know, no strenuous activity is allowed and it will still be a few weeks before you can return to work, and even longer before you can return to surgery.

"I understand," Izzie said.

"Oh and I should let you know, Hannah will probably be out of isolation tomorrow."

"That's great," Izzie said with a smile. There was a knock at the door. "Hey!" Izzie said happily as she saw George in the doorway.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," George said. He went over to Izzie and kissed her lovingly on the lips.

"The patient is being discharged. Medically she is no longer my problem," Meredith joked. "Make sure she takes it easy"

"Don't worry. I will," George said.

"Okay then. I'll see you guys later," Meredith said.

"Now I get you all to myself," George said happily, kissing Izzie again.

"You've been very patient," Izzie said, kissing him back.

"I have a surprise for you," George said. "Let's go."

When she was dressed George led Izzie, who insisted on walking instead of using a wheelchair, out of he hospital and over to his car.

"Just stay there for a moment," George said as soon as Izzie was seated in his car. He jogged across the road to Joe's bar and emerged a few minutes later with a large picnic basket. Izzie grinned when she saw it.

"You know me well," she said. George pulled a piece of material out of his pocket. "What's that?" Izzie asked.

"It's a blindfold," George said. Izzie didn't object as he gently placed it around her head, shielding her eyes. "You like surprises remember?"

"I do," Izzie replied.

"No peeking," George said with a smile.

With Izzie blindfolded beside him, George drove to a park on the outskirts of Seattle. It wasn't as popular as some of the inner city spots but that was why George liked it. He liked to go there to think. It was where he had made the decision to propose to Izzie.

When they arrived, George opened Izzie's door and helped her out of the car, still blindfolded.

"Can I take it off now?" Izzie asked. "I feel like a bit of a weirdo."

"You look beautiful," George said. "Just keep it on for a bit longer." He took the large picnic basket out of the car with one hand and took Izzie's hand gently in his. Izzie started giggling.

"This is strange," she said. She heard the crisp autumn leaves crunch under her feet. "Where are we?"

"That would be ruining the surprise," George said mysteriously. They kept walking until George reached his favourite spot. "Stay there," he said when they'd stopped. Izzie did as she was told. George spread a rug on the ground and opened the picnic basket. He assembled a little dining setting: plates, cutlery and an assortment of fresh deli foods that Joe had organised for him. He positioned himself nervously and took a deep breath. "Okay, you can take the blindfold off now," he said, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice. Izzie appeared to struggle to untie the blindfold which made George even more nervous. When she pulled it off she saw George on one knee before her, holding a beautiful diamond ring out to her.

"Izzie Stevens," George said, trying to suppress his nerves. "You have made me happier than I ever thought it was possible to be. I love-" Izzie burst into tears. "What's wrong?" George asked, concerned.

"I'm sorry," Izzie said, wiping her eyes. "Continue."

"I love you more than I can even begin to say," George stammered, getting emotional now. "You are the most beautiful woman, in every sense of the world. You're smart, you're passionate, you're selfless… you're hot." Izzie giggled. "So I ask," George continued, "Will you do the honour of becoming my wife?"

"Yes!" Izzie said, bursting into fresh tears. George placed the ring on her trembling hand.

"You're shaking," he observed.

"It's okay," Izzie said, wiping her eyes as George stood up. "I just never thought this would happen for me. Not after Denny. I never thought I'd be this happy again." George moved closer to Izzie and kissed her on the lips.

"Everything's gonna be okay now," he said softly, holding her in his arms. They stayed there for awhile. When they finally pulled apart, Izzie looked at the sparkling diamond ring on her finger in more detail.

"Do you like it?" George asked.

"It's perfect," Izzie whispered with a smile, watching it glistening in the sunlight. "This is all so perfect." They sat down on the picnic rug, cuddled close together and began picking at the deli food, disregarding the cutlery. Izzie's phone started to ring.

"Hello," she said, answering it,

"Did he ask you?" Hannah asked enthusiastically on the other end of the line. Izzie laughed.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"A little birdie told me wanted an opinion on the ring," Hannah said mischievously. Izzie smiled at George who had relaxed considerably ever since Izzie had accepted his proposal.

"Well you did a very good job of keeping it a secret," Izzie commended her daughter. "Because I had no idea it was coming."

"I'm so happy for you," Hannah said sweetly. "I know that your life hasn't been easy and that you've had to overcome a lot just to be a doctor and be the person that you are. So you deserve this more than anyone." Izzie's eyes again welled with tears at her daughter's generous words. "I love you, Izzie, and I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, beautiful," Izzie said back to her daughter. "I'll come and see you soon, okay?"

"Yep," Hannah replied.

"Bye bye," Izzie said.

"See ya," Hannah replied as the call ended. Izzie turned to George.

"That's sweet how you let Hannah in on it before you proposed to me," Izzie said to George. George shrugged. "She's family." That statement alone reminded Izzie why she loved George so much. They shared another romantic kiss. A kiss that led into a whole night's worth of celebrations.

&&&&&&&&

Please review


	15. Chapter 15

I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter than the others. I will make up for it in the next and final chapter. I hope that you're all still enjoying this story. Please review.

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN **

Izzie and George arrived back at Seattle Grace hospital, hand in hand. They exuded an air of happiness and contentment. Izzie couldn't help admiring her sparkling diamond engagement ring every few minutes. She noticed that George had a cheeky little smile on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," George answered as they stepped into the elevator. "Sorry to bring you back here. I'll just be a moment."

"It's okay," Izzie said. "I don't mind." Izzie was secretly hoping to run into someone she knew so that she could share her good news. They rode the elevator to the surgical floor. Izzie looked for her friends but could only see nurses and interns. She sighed, disheartened and waited at the nurses' station. George went ahead opened the door to an empty patient's room.

"Hey, Izzie. Come and see this," George called out. Izzie looked at George, suspicious. She went over to him and peered through the door.

"CONGATULATIONS!" everybody called out from inside. Izzie's jaw dropped in shock. She stepped through the door to see Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Bailey, Derek, Sydney, Mark some supporting staff, Hannah's adoptive parents and even Callie standing there with raised champagne glasses. Alex popped the cork and started filling the glasses.

"It's only fizzy grape juice," Bailey explained. "We're technically still on duty and you're still on medication."

"We'll pretend it's the real stuff," Meredith said with a smile.

"Fine by me," Izzie said happily as Alex handed her a glass. A pager went off from the table.

"Ah crap," Alex said. He picked the pager up. "I gotta go scrub in on an emergency surgery with Hahn." He shook George's hand. "Congratulations, man," Alex said as everyone else started chattering amongst themselves. He went over to Izzie and pulled her into a hug. "You deserve this," he whispered in her ear. "You deserve to be someone who treats you well. You deserve to be happy and feel special, because you are."

"Thank you," Izzie said emotionally. Alex gave her a kiss on the cheek and left the room.

"I have to go too," Callie said, approaching Izzie. "But I just wanted to say congratulations," she said sincerely. "To both of you. I'm honestly really happy for you."

"Thanks Callie," George said, gratefully. Izzie was too shocked to speak but Callie could tell that she was thankful. Izzie knew that it would have been much easier for Callie to busy herself instead of showing up.

"I'll see you later," Callie said with a little smile.

"Thank you," Izzie finally managed to utter.

"Come over here!" Meredith called out to Izzie. "Show us the ring already!" Izzie laughed and went over to them. She held her hand out.

"Very nice," Bailey said, taking Izzie's hand to have a closer look at the ring. "I like it a lot." She turned to George. "You did good," she said approvingly.

"Yeah, I did," George said, looking lovingly at Izzie, his concentration finally broken when Derek came over to him to offer his congratulations.

Cristina examined the ring. "Whoa, I'd even wear that," she said.

"You'd have to beat me to it," Meredith said. "George sure has good taste."

"I love it," Izzie said, admiring it once again. "And I want the three of you to be my bridesmaids."

"We'd love to," Meredith said. Cristina, nodded, trying to appear enthusiastic with the idea of dressing up. Bailey looked surprised.

"You want me?" she stammered. Izzie nodded.

"Would you?" Izzie asked. Bailey looked away, obviously very touched by Izzie's gesture. She nodded.

"I suppose I can clear my schedule for a few hours." Izzie smiled. Izzie knew that it meant more to Bailey than she would ever admit.

"Here's to George and Izzie," Meredith said raising her glass.

"To George and Izzie," the bridesmaids said, raising their glasses.

"To George and Izzie," Derek echoed from the other side of the room. Everyone joined in the celebratory toast. Meredith and Derek locked eyes for an intimate moment, both moved by how happy George and Izzie were. For a brief moment they both wondered if they'd ever get there.

When everybody had to get back to work and the celebrations finished, George and Izzie went to the Pediatrics ward. They found Hannah's adoptive parents, Caroline and Dustin, watching their sleeping daughter in her isolation room. They smiled as Izzie and George approached them.

"Thank you for coming to our little celebration before," George said.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to speak to you individually," Izzie added.

"It's fine. Thank you for inviting us," Dustin said.

"Congratulations to you both," Caroline added. Izzie smiled and looked into Hannah's room.

"How's she doing?" she asked.

"She's still making good progress," Caroline said. "She gets stronger every day."

&&&

Later that night George and Izzie finally climbed into bed.

"You've had quite a big day," George said. "Especially for a freshly discharged patient." He turned his lamp off and cuddled into Izzie.

"It was one of the best days of my life," Izzie said, smiling at the memories.

"Mine too," George said, kissing her on the lips. "So, three bridesmaids? I'd better find three groomsmen then."

"Four," Izzie corrected him. "I have four bridesmaids."


	16. Chapter 16

Well this is the final chapter of this fic (sobs!) I hope that you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Thank you to all who have reviewed. I've loved reading your feedback. Special thanks to gizziefan118 who has been an amazingly loyal reviewer. Hope you all enjoy this last chapter. Please review.

Also, I've just started co writing a fic with gizziefan118 at the moment. You should check it out. The link is on my profile.

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Eight months later, the guests assembled at the historical church where George's parents had married thirty-five years earlier for what was to be the happiest day of Izzie and George's lives. The church had an off white interior with wooden pews which had been decorated with pink and white flowers. George waited at the front of the church, flanked by his groomsmen: his brothers Ronny and Jerry, Preston Burke and to everyone's surprise, Alex.

"Thanks for coming all the way back," George said to Burke.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Burke replied. "You're my guy, O'Malley. I wouldn't be anywhere else."

"You nervous?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Ronny said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the satin handkerchief from his suit.

"Dude, I was talking to-" Alex started.

"Ronny!" George snapped, grabbing he handkerchief from his brother and putting it back in his shirt pocket. "These were expensive!"

"George, don't shout at your brother," George's mother said sternly from the front pew. George looked embarrassed at his public reprimand.

"Just take a few deep breaths," Burke said calmly. "Everything's gonna be fine."

"Yeah don't be so nervous, man," Alex said. "We all know Izzie's gonna show." George glared at Alex.

"I never doubted that she would!" he said. "I just want it to be perfect for her."

&&&

"How are you doing, Iz?" Meredith asked as Izzie and her bridesmaids prepared to walk down the isle.

"Good… I think," Izzie said nervously.

"You look beautiful, Izzie," Hannah said with a smile. Izzie turned and looked at her daughter. She was looking much healthier now. Bailey's fellowship study had produced better results than any of them had anticipated. Hannah was now in remission. It hasn't been an easy road but it had worked out for the best. Hannah looked even more like Izzie now that her health had improved. She had gained a few pounds which accentuated her facial features, she had grown taller and much to her delight her blonde hair had started to grow back. It was cut in a fashionable short pixie style, much to the envy of her classmates at her new school. She was wearing make up and high heels for the first time and Izzie was blown away by her beauty. "Izzie?" Hannah said. "You're kinda staring."

"Sorry," Izzie said, snapping back into reality. "You look beautiful. She turned to Meredith, Cristina and Bailey. "You all do." Izzie's bridesmaids were all wearing pale pink strappy floor length satin gowns and white heals. The gowns were a colour that Meredith and Cristina had never envisioned wearing but they were surprised at the result. Meredith, Cristina and Bailey all wore their hair down, with light curls through it for extra glamour. By contrast, Izzie wore her hair in an intricate up style that had taken the hairdresser two hours to complete. Her dress was a strapless, floor length ivory creation with detailed beading. It was a design that she'd secretly had in mind ever since she was a child.

"Okay," Izzie said, taking a deep breath. "I'm ready."

The traditional wedding music began playing and the doors opened. Hannah was the first person to walk down the isle, the hospital staff and her parents admiring how healthy and happy she was. Hannah lapped up the attention, a different kind of attention than she was used to and that she much preferred. She gave George a wink and a smile for encouragement. Bailey was next.

"Whoa, Bailey looks hot," Alex said. George elbowed him, as the priest gave Alex a disapproving look. Meredith followed. As she walked down the isle, Meredith could feel Derek's eyes on her. She looked over at him in the crowd and smiled. They had been back together for four months and everything was going smoothly. Cristina was the final bridesmaid to walk down the isle. She had insisted on being last, much to everyone's discontent. Meredith especially, knowing that this would be the first time that Cristina would see Burke since their ill fated nuptials, feared that Cristina would sneak out the door of the church and not walk down the isle at all. But to the relief of everybody in the church, she had made it down the isle.

George felt his heart pounding in his chest as he caught his first glimpse of Izzie in her wedding dress. She looked even more beautiful than he'd imagined she would. She had a smile on her face that exuded radiance. As she walked down the isle, Izzie tried to savor every memory; those she cared about watching her, her bridesmaids, her daughter and most of all, George. She recognised pure love in his eyes. A look that she had seen many times before but nevertheless a look so powerful it almost made her knees buckle. When she reached the front of the church, George planted a kiss firmly on her lips.

"Sorry," he said, pulling away. Everybody giggled except for the priest who shook his head. George and Izzie locked eyes and linked hands and the love in the room was apparent. They went through the traditional start of the ceremony and then the priest announced that they had chosen to write their own vows. George took a deep breath ready to begin.

"Izzie, you have given me the most precious gifts I could ever ask for. The gift of eternal friendship and the gift of eternal love. I am the luckiest man in the world to receive these gifts from you. I promise that I will honour you, support you, respect you and love you with my whole heart forever. I will treasure you and I will love your daughter as my daughter. I will grow old with you and I will never live a day without thanking God for the gift of you being in my life. Today you make me the happiest man in the world and I will do everything possible to make you as happy as you've made me every day for the rest of our lives." On cue, Meredith handed Izzie some tissues that she had strategically placed in her flowers. Izzie wiped her eyes, trying to hold herself together so that she could deliver her vows. Guests, most notably George's mother, had shed tears through George's vows. They braced themselves for Izzie's turn.

"In your own time," the priest said.

"I never thought that this day would come," Izzie said in a shaky voice. "I had love and I lost it and I thought that was it for me." She paused for a moment to collect herself as everybody's mind crossed to the memory of Denny. "But, my best friend came along and filled a hole in my spirit had been there for most of my life. He saw through to my soul and made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. George," she said, squeezing his hands for a moment. "I love you more than I love life itself. My world has meaning and my life has purpose with you in it. Everything that I do is for us and I promise to love you and cherish you with all my being for the rest of my life." There wasn't a dry in the church by this stage. Even Cristina pretended to be distracted by something behind her until she had settled herself.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said. "You may kiss the bride… again." George and Izzie shared a long and passionate kiss as everybody stood and applauded.

&&&

After the formalities and speeches at the wedding reception, Izzie and George took to the floor for the bridal waltz. They stumbled a few times but they didn't care. They danced close together and frequently kissed and whispered to each other. When the waltz was over, the guests toasted once again to the new bride and groom and filled the dance floor.

"You look insanely hot in pink," Derek said seductively to Meredith, kissing her on the neck, as they danced in each other's arms. Meredith laughed.

"I'll have to track down some pale pink scrubs and heals to wear in the OR," she said.

"Don't tease me," Derek replied. Meredith laughed again.

Burke walked through the dancers on the floor and found Critsina sitting by herself at an empty table. He held his hand out. Cristina just stared up at him.

"May I have this dance?" he asked. Cristina's usual instinct would have been to stammer an excuse and get out of there but she was unable to move when he was giving her that look that she missed. She nodded and allowed Burke to lead her to the dance floor.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Burke asked, pulling Critsina closer to him.

"No," Cristsina replied. "Are you?"

"No," Burke answered.

George went over to another table where Hannah was sitting with her parents, clearly enjoying the celebrations.

"Hey, little lady," he said to Hannah. "Wanna dance?" Hannah nodded with a smile and allowed George to lead her to the dance floor just as a dance track began playing. They pulled out their best dance moves and both laughed at George's goofy style as he twirled Hannah around. Bailey and the Chief were the most impressive dancers on the floor, pulling out moves no body knew they had, while Alex and Callie danced together in the corner.

Izzie stood back and took in the sight before her: her friends dancing and enjoying themselves and George and Hannah dancing together, having a great time. They had become good friends. George was even helping coach Hannah's soccer team. Somehow, it had all come together. A feeling of serenity and contentment swept over Izzie. _This is what life is about, _she thought to herself. _Moments like this that make it all worth it._

**THE END **


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